金子 みすゞ Kaneko Misuzu: We’re all different, but we’re all good… / Tutti diversi, tutti ugualmente giusti…

Posted: December 19, 2012 | Author: Zócalo Poets | Filed under: English, Italian, Japanese, Kaneko Misuzu |Comments Off on 金子 みすゞ Kaneko Misuzu: We’re all different, but we’re all good… / Tutti diversi, tutti ugualmente giusti…

Kaneko Misuzu (Japanese poetess, 1903-1930)

“Me, the little bird, and the bell”

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私が両手をひろげても、(watashi ga ryōte wo hirogete mo)

お空はちっとも飛べないが、(osora wa chitto mo tobenai ga)

飛べる小鳥は私のように、 (toberu kotori ha watashi yō ni)

地面を速く走れない。 (jimen wo hayaku hashirenai)

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私が体をゆすっても、 (watashi ga karada wo yusutte mo)

きれいな音はでないけど、 (kirei na oto wa denai kedo)

あの鳴る鈴は私のように、 (anonaru suzu wa watashi no yō ni)

たくさんな唄は知らないよ。 (takusan na uta wa shiranai yo)

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鈴と、小鳥と、それから私、 (suzu to kotori to sorekara watashi)

みんなちがって、みんないい。 (minna chigatte, minna ii)

.     .     .

Even if I stretch out my arms

I can’t fly up into the sky,

But the little bird who can fly

Cannot run fast along the ground like me.

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Even if I shake my body,

No beautiful sound comes out,

But the ringing bell does not

Know many songs like me.

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The bell, the little bird and, finally, me:

We’re all different, but we’re all good.

 

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A big Thank-You to Doug for his translation from Japanese to English!

.     .     .

 

Kaneko Misuzu (Poetessa giapponese, 1903-1930)

“Io, l’uccellino e la campanella”

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Per quanto io allarghi le braccia,

non potrò mai volare in cielo, ma

l’uccellino che può, come me

non saprà correre veloce sulla terra.

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Per quanto io scuota il corpo,

non ne uscirà un bel suono, ma

quella campanella  che risuona, come me

non saprà mai tante canzoni.

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La campanella, l’uccellino ed io,

Tutti diversi, tutti ugualmente giusti.

 

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Traduzione di Radicchio – Grazie!

.     .     .

 

Kaneko Misuzu

“Piled-Up Snow”

Two markedly-different translations from Japanese into English:

Special Thanks to Henry Stokeley and Cha

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積もった雪

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上の雪　寒かろな

冷たい月がさしていて

下の雪　重かろな

何百人ものせていて

中の雪　さみしかろうな

そらもじべたも見えないで

.     .     .

Above the snow it’s cold,

the icy moon shines from it.

Below the snow it’s heavy,

not a hundred men could lift it.

In the snow it’s so lonely,

neither the sky nor the bare earth are seen.

.     .     .

Top layer of snow – you must be shivering

under the frosty light of the moon.

Bottom layer – you must feel so heavy

under the weight of hundreds of human beings.

Middle layer – you must be lonely;

you can see neither sky nor earth.

 

.     .     .

 

Kaneko Misuzu

“To Love Everything”

(translated from Japanese by Alex Fyffe)

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I wish I could love them,

Anything and everything.

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Onions, tomatoes, fish,

I wish I could love them all.

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Side dishes, and everything.

Because Mother made them.

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I wish I could love them,

Anyone and everyone.

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Doctors, and crows,

I wish I could love them all.

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Everyone in the whole world

– Because God made them.

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わたしはすきになりたいな、

何でもかんでもみいんな.

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ねぎも、トマトも、おさかなも、

のこらずすきになりたいな.

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うちのおかずは、みいんな。

おかあさまがおつくりになったもの.

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わたしはすきになりたいな、

だれでもかれでもみいんな.

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お医者さんでも、からすでも、

のこらずすきになりたいな.

.

世界のものはみｲ んな、

神さまがおつくりになったもの.

.     .     .     .     .

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